Two auto mechanics from DeKalb County have been charged with federal drug trafficking offenses after authorities seized about 2,500 pounds of methamphetamine from their vehicles. Daniel Santana-Lopez, a 39-year-old illegal immigrant from Guanajuato, Mexico, was arraigned on charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and illegal reentry by a removed alien. Jared Thompson, aged 41 from Snellville, Georgia, faced similar charges along with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg commented on the case stating, “These defendants, including a twice-deported illegal alien, allegedly tried to conceal a major methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in a local automobile repair shop.” He emphasized the commitment to eradicating drug dealing from communities through diligent investigations.
Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division added that the DEA will continue its mission to seize dangerous drugs before they reach communities and hold responsible parties accountable.
The charges stemmed from an incident on October 23, 2024, when law enforcement stopped Santana-Lopez after he left an auto repair shop where he worked. Officers reportedly found around 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine in his vehicle. Investigations revealed that Santana-Lopez had been deported twice previously and had allegedly distributed methamphetamine multiple times during mid-2024.
Thompson was stopped about an hour later leaving the same repair shop; officers allegedly discovered approximately 140 kilograms of methamphetamine and a firearm in his vehicle.
Both men were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia on June 11, 2025. Authorities remind the public that indictments contain only charges and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The case is being investigated by several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), North Georgia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with assistance from DeKalb County Police Department and District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne A. Brown Jr. is prosecuting this case which is part of Operation Take Back America—an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages parents and children to learn about drug dangers at www.justthinktwice.gov.
For more information contact U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office via USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or call (404) 581-6185. More details can be found on their website: http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
